The Adventures of the Acorn
by Moonbeam141
Summary: Meet Acornpaw, who is the daughter of Cinderheart and Lionblaze. Of course there's a phophcey about her, told to her by Hollyleaf on the night when she becomes an apprentice. When two stangers arrive, and Breezepelt comes into the picture, Acornpaw knows she has to do something-and fast.
1. The Beginning Of It All

The Adventures of the Acorn

**A/N:**

**If you've read Warriors or know about them, then congratulations! If you don't, that's fine. The real books are made by Erin Hunter. Acornkit is my cat, the rest are from the real books. I don't own Warriors. If I did, Hollyleaf would have had a power. Enjoy!**

_Allegiances_

Leader~**Bramblestar**- dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

**APPRENTICE, LILYPAW**

Deputy~**Squirrelflight**- dark ginger she-cat with forest green eyes, one white paw

Medicine Cat~**Jayfeather**- gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes

**Warriors **(toms and she-cats without kits)

**Sandstorm**-pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

**APPRENTICE, SEEDPAW**

**Brackenfur**-golden brown tabby tom

**Cloudtail**-long haired white tom with blue eyes

**Thornclaw**-golden brown tabby tom

**Leafpool**-light brown tabby she cat with white chest and paws, amber eyes, former medicine cat

**Birchfall**-light brown tabby tom

**Whitewing**-white she-cat with green eyes

**Berrynose**-cream-colored tom

**Hazeltail**-small gray-and-white she-cat

**Mousewhisker**-gray-and-white tom

**Lionblaze**-golden tabby tom with amber eyes

**Foxleap**-reddish tabby tom

**APPRENTICE, CHERRYPAW**

**Icecloud**-white she-cat

**Toadstep**-black-and-white tom

**Rosepetal**-dark cream she-cat

**APPRENTICE, MOLEPAW**

**Brairlight**-dark brown she-cat

**Blossomfall**-trotoiseshell and white she-cat

**Bumblestripe**-very pale gray tom with black stripes

**Dovewing**-pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

**Ivypool**-silver-and-white she-cat with dark blue eyes

**Sorreltail**-trotoiseshshell-and-white she-cat with amber eyes

**Apprentices** (more than six moons old, in training to become warriors)

**Lilypaw**-dark tabby she-cat with white patches

**Seedpaw**-very pale ginger she-cat

**Molepaw**-brown-and-cream tom

**Cherrypaw**-ginger she cat

**Queens** (she-cats expecting or nursing kits)

**Daisy**- cream long-furred she-cat from the horseplace

******Brightheart**-white she-cat with ginger patches (mother to Cloudtail's kits: Amberkit, a pale gray she-kit with a white muzzle, paws, and right ear, with amber eyes, Snowkit, a white tom with amber eyes, and Dewkit, a gray tom with amber eyes)

**Cinderheart**-gray tabby she-cat (mother to Lionblaze's kit: Acornkit, a light and dark brown tabby she-kit with gray paws and green eyes, golden ears and tail-tip, and golden fur around her eyes)

**Elders** (former warriors and queens, now retired)

**Dustpelt**-dark brown tabby tom

**Spiderleg**-long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and flecks of gray on his muzzle, amber eyes

**Graystripe**-long haired gray tom

**Millie**-striped gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

**Purdy**-plump tabby former loner with a gray muzzle

Beginning:

If you go to a lake, and then head for the non-pine forest, you might find a clearing that looks like an old, abandoned, quarry. In the clearing, you will see some bushes, and some caves. Outside one den, you will see a golden tabby tom pacing anxiously back and forth. But inside the den is completely different.

In the den, a gray tabby tom–with bright, blind blue eyes is next to a gray tabby queen. The tom is Jayfeather, and he is the medicine cat of ThunderClan. The queen is Cinderheart, a used-to-be warrior. And the tom that is pacing outside? He's Lionblaze, Jayfeather's brother and Cinderheart's mate. So, in the den, Jayfeather is talking:

"You'll be fine! There is only one kit."

"Are you okay?"

That's Lionblaze asking Cinderheart.

"I'm fine."

"You want anything?"

"No."

Suddenly Jayfeather is alert, and he hands a stick to Cinderheart.

"The kit is coming!"

Then it happened.

"Push!" Jayfeather tells her.

Amazingly, she does that, and her kit is born. Jayfeather quickly started licking the kit, and when the kit is dry, he calls Lionblaze.

So Lionblaze steps in, and almost immediately starts to purr.

"So, what should we name her?" he asks.

"Acornkit? She does look like an acorn."

The newly named Acornkit has light and dark brown tabby fur with golden ears and tail-tip, gray paws and golden fur around her closed eyes.

"Okay."

Jayfeather heads outside, but not before giving Cinderheart borage leaves that will help her give more milk. Feeling happy he heads to his den and falls asleep. He blinks open his eyes to see StarClan's hunting grounds. Then he sees the world's most crabby cat, a.k.a Yellowfang. Then Yellowfang calls to him, and he comes over.

"I have a prophecy for you."

"What is it?"

Yellowfang is silent for a moment, then speaks.

"_The acorn will flash here and there_

_Helping her Clanmates without fear._

_But then snow must help the acorn from the _

_Breeze that blows in the night."_

"Yellowfang," Jayfeather says, "What do you mean? The breeze? The snow? The acorn…"

"All will be revealed, Jayfeather, although I think you know who the acorn is. Now go!"

And _poof,_ Jayfeather wakes up.

**Sorry it's so short. Flames shall be used to make cake, but reviews will be used to make a new chapter!**

**Bye!**


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1  


(About 4 moons later...)

"Come _on_, Acornkit, wake up!"

I blink open my eyes to see Amberkit, my denmate and best friend, poking me with her paw. I stretch, and then look at her.

"Why were you poking me?"

"Because I was bored, and Snowkit and Dewkit aren't up yet."

I grin. "Do you want to do wake them up?"

"Well, duh!"

So we sneak over to where Snowkit and Dewkit are sleeping, and start to poke them. It's fun for a while, but then gets boring, as they won't wake up.

"Do you want to get some fresh-kill? I'm starving!"

It's not Amberkit, but Snowkit, who has _finally_ woken up, along with his brother.

I sigh. "Well, you woke up –"

"You can't go."

It's not Amberkit's voice, or Cinderheart's, my mother's voice. In fact, all the queens are still asleep, except Brightheart, who is Amerkit's, Snowkit's and Dewkit's mother. But she has just started to stir.

So who is it?

I slowly turn around…and the cat that is there is not one of my Clanmates.

(...)

I give out a small, high pitched, squeak of fear.

"Calm down," the cat says. "I'm – well, eat this."

He is holding out a mouse.

"Don't worry," the strange cat growls. "There aren't any deathberries in there. Now eat it!"

As we are all hungry, and scared by the cat, we eat the mouse. The mouse is fresh, but tastes sweetish. After we finish the mouse, the cat meows, "No, there aren't any deathberries in there. But there were poppy seeds."

Amberkit suddenly looks scared, and then I remember:

Poppy seeds are used to ease pain, and to make the cat fall into a deep sleep.

I suddenly realize he has ShadowClan scent. And he has white and black fur, exactly like my mother has told me.

This cat is Crowfrost.

**A/N: Sorry it's so short (agian). Try to at least _pretend _to be interested. Please review and tell me want you think!**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Enjoy! I don't own Warriors. **

Chapter 2

(Dovewing's POV)

I'm on guard duty for tonight. I sit down and look at the thorn tunnel, sometimes stretching my legs – when I hear a noise. That's not surprising, as I can hear things from far away, but it's coming from the nursery. Along with a smell… I head to Bramblestar's den and wake him up.

"What? This early in the morning? Dovewing, just go back to guard duty."

"But it's important! There's a ShadowClan cat here."

_Now_ he's alert. Sigh.

"Okay, you go wake up the other warriors. I go in the clearing." He tells me.

I then head to the warriors den, and start to randomly poke cats. Cloudtail looks at me sleepily.

"What is it?" he meows.

"Shadow Clan intruder. Nursery".

Cloudtail suddenly is alert, and starts poking Lionblaze, Acornkit's father.

(...)

Soon, all the cats are awake, and we head out. The ShadowClan cat is still there, and he's is bringing out the kits from the nursery. I look at Lionblaze and Cloudtail, and their fur is fluffed up with anger.

Then I hear the cat from ShadowClan's voice.

"Don't worry, you're going to become cats from my Clan."

Then, amazingly, Acornkit's voice.

"Does your leader honestly think that kits won't remember _anything_ about their birth Clan when they are taken from that Clan? If he does, he must be really mouse-brained."

"Blackstar isn't mouse-brained!"

"Oh, no it's Blackstar. I'm _so _scared."

I smile. This kit is smart.

Lionblaze looks at Bramblestar like _Can we attack now?_ Brameblestar nods, and a flash of gold and then white is on top of the ShadowClan cat.

Bramblestar comes up.

"What's your name?"

"It's Crowfrost."

"Why in StarClan's name were you trying to take our kits? If I remember, Blackstar decided not to do that kind of stuff."

"….."

"Well?"

Crowfrost takes off, not bothering to answer.

"We will find out about this at the Gathering!" yowls Squirrelflight, the somewhat hot tempered deputy and also Bramblestar's mate. "You can't hide from us!"

(Acornkit's POV)

I sit, dumbfounded, as I think about what has happened. It almost seems like a dream, that Amberkit and I tried to wake up her brothers moons ago.

And then Cinderheart comes over….

….and immediately starts to lick me.

"I was so worried!" _Lick. Lick._ "I don't even want to think want would have happened if Dovewing hadn't –" _Lick. Lick._ "–sounded the alarm." _Lick. Lick. _This goes on for a while. I can see that Cloudtail and Brightheart are doing the same thing to Amberkit, Snowkit, and Dewkit.

Then, Jayfeather, the medicine cat and also my uncle, comes over and tells Cinderheart that he wants to check the kits and give us some thyme, for the shock.

"Now, please. You licked them long enough."

"Fine."

So Jayfeather take us over to the medicine cat den and asks us if there was anything in the mouse.

"There were poppy seeds, but I don't know how many."

Dewkit, Amberkit's and Snowkit's brother answers.

"Okay," Jayfeather says. "Was there anything else?"

"Nope."

"Well, you'll probably feel sleepy, but nothing besides that. Do you all want some thyme?"

We all say yes.

Jayfeather says that he wants to check me over separately, so I wait after the other kits have gone outside.

"Acornkit, you'll be an apprentice in two moons. When you wake up after your ceremony, I want to see you then, okay?"

I blink, wondering what this has to do with checking me for injuries. "Um, okay."

I then turn around, and then look back at him. "Anything else?" I ask.

"No, you can go."

So I walk out of the den, and when I step out, I swear I hear a voice….

_The acorn will flash here and there…._

**PLEASE READ: **

**I will be away for a couple of days, so do not expect updates for at least two days. Bye!**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N; I'm back!**

**Reply to Reviews:**

**izrose17: Thanks for being my first reviewer! Also, I used your advice, and have decided something:**

**From now on it's just going to be Acornkit's (or maybe I should say Acornpaw's) POV. But, if there is a POV change in a chapter, I'll tell you in the beginning of it. Enjoy!**

Chapter 3

"Acornkit, from this day until you receive your warrior name, you will be called Acornpaw."

My pelt tingles as my Clanmates yowl my new name. "Acornpaw! Acornpaw!"

"StarClan, I ask you to guide this new apprentice. Set her paws on the path she must follow to become a warrior."

"Dovewing," Bramblestar says, "You will be mentor to Acornpaw. You are a loyal warrior and you have excellent hunting abilities. I trust you will pass these qualities onto Acornpaw."

The Clan yowls my, Snowpaw's, Amberpaw's, and Dewpaw's new names, then goes back to whatever they were doing. Amberpaw's mentor is Hazeltail, a small gray-and-white she-cat, Snowpaw's mentor is Icecloud, a white she-cat, and Dewpaw's mentor is Bumblestripe, a gray tom with darker gray stripes down his back. Dovewing, my mentor is a pale gray she-cat with blue eyes.

"Can we go explore the territory?" Amberpaw blurts out.

"Sure." Hazeltail replies.

So we head out of the camp, and the other apprentices and I look and step and smell in our territory for the first time ever. We see the Sky Oak (or the Ancient Oak), and it is enormous, and the tallest tree in the territory. The roots aren't all in the ground, and there are burrows under the roots. There are also some thorn bushes that are just outside the burrows. We take a quick look at the borders, and then we head back to the training hollow.

"Okay," Icecloud says. "This is how you do the hunting crouch."

She drops into a stalking crouch. "You take your weight onto your haunches, step lightly, and try not to let your tail brush the ground. Do you want to try it?"

We all nod.

I drop into a stalking crouch, and try to do what Icecloud said. It's somewhat easy. After all, the other apprentices and I did try to do a hunting crouch - multiple times - when we were kits.

"Snowpaw, lift your tail up some more."

"Amberpaw, try not to step so heavily."

"That's good, Dewpaw."

"Lower your tail a bit, Acornpaw."

After a few minutes of this, the mentors ask if we want to try it out on real prey, but alone.

We all say okay.

I head off to a small clearing with some thorn bushes to one side. And then I smell mouse. But it's on the other side of the bushes, and they're too thick to go through. So how can I get the mouse? I could jump over the bushes, but they are to high. There's an open space underneath, but it's too small. I can see the mouse from the little space under the bush, but can't get it. It's nibbling some type of seed… Wait a minute. It's an acorn. Yup, definitely an acorn.

Then some instinct makes me close my eyes and picture the area where the mouse is. Maybe StarClan, maybe just me. I feel something – maybe wind? – and then I smell the mouse more clearly. And I open my eyes….

…and I'm in the area with the mouse.

_What just happened?_

I had caught the mouse, and then closed my eyes, felt the wind again, and when I had opened them, I was back in the clearing. And also….

*FLASHBACK*

I was walking back to camp with my mouse, still puzzled about my seemingly new power, when I smelled bird. The smell was coming from an up direction, so it was in a tree, but on a thin branch, so I ditched the idea of using my power to get the bird.

_Hmm….Wait a minute. That might work._

I silently buried my mouse under some leaves and pounced in an up direction, feeling like I was flying at the bird. I plowed into the bird, catching it, and dropped down on the other side. I unburied my mouse, and took my prey back to camp.

*END FLASHBACK*

"Well done!"

Dovewing is coming to me. She chatters on.

"I didn't expect you to catch a bird! How did you do it?"

"I, um, pounced in an up direction onto it."

"Ooo! You caught a _bird_!"

This time it's Amberpaw's voice.

"I can't believe it! And you caught a mouse!"

Dovewing looks at me for a moment, and then asks if we want to go back to camp. I nod, and the sun sinks in the sky as we head back to camp.


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: I'm REALLY sorry about the late update. I didn't have much time to write. On a happier note, Happy Passover and happy Easter to those who are celebrating!**

**Reply to Reviews:**

**izrose17: Thank you!**

**Hi10000000: :O. Yes, it does. YOU FIGURED IT OUT! Yay! Also, Nightcloud might have a part in it, I'm not sure. Acornpaw doesn't have Dovewing's power. She has this power to "flash", somewhat like lightning.**

**Also, you will find out Acornpaw's power better in this chapter. Happy reading!**

Chapter 4

After mealtime, when I had eaten my mouse, Amberpaw and I head to the apprentice den. Dewpaw and Snowpaw are already inside. We're the only apprentices now, since Seedflower and Lilyfur, formally Seedpaw and Lillypaw became warriors. Molepelt, a cream-and brown tom, and Cherryfur, a ginger she-cat, were also warriors. I curl up in a mossy nest at the back of the den. I start to fall asleep…..

(zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzlinezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzz)

When I wake up, it's in a grassy field.

It's nighttime, the moon is bright, and the lull of crickets chirping are all around me. I start to relax.

And then a cat appears.

She has black fur with stars in it and green eyes, and smells of ThunderClan, but I've never seen her before. And then she speaks.

"Hi, Acornpaw. I'm Hollyleaf."

_What?_

Hollyleaf continues to meow. "I'm Lionblaze's and Jayfeather's sister, your aunt. And I have to tell you something."

"Wait a moment. Am I dead?"

Hollyleaf smiles. "No, you're not dead. Can I tell the something?"

I nod. And Hollyleaf's voice turns different, as if her voice is smoother.

"_The acorn will flash here and there_

_Helping her Clanmates without fear._

_But then snow must help the acorn from the _

_Breeze that blows in the night._"

"What do you mean?"

"Just go to Jayfeather!" Hollyleaf's voice is growing faint.

And then I wake up.

* * *

_Where am I?_

It takes a few minutes for me to realize that I'm awake, I'm not in the nursery, and I'm in the apprentice den.

_What did Hollyleaf say? Something about acorns, and going to Jayfeather._

As I can't do anything about acorns, I head to the medicine cat den. As I walk around the other apprentices, trying not to wake them up, I remember Jayfeather telling me about coming to his den after I wake up after my ceremony.

_Well, I hope he tells me what is going on._

I reach the medicine cat den and peer inside. Briarlight, Jayfeather's assistant, is still sleeping. Her back legs don't work, but she can learn herbs like any other cat can. Most of the clan is waiting for Jayfeather to announce that Briarlight will be the next medicine cat.

Jayfeather is awake though, and looks at me as I come in.

"I guess you're here to ask me about something?"

"Yes, I am. Could we go somewhere…"

"More private? Fine with me."

So we head out of the medicine cat den, out of the thorn tunnel (Foxleap, who is on guard duty, looks at us curiously, but Jayfeather says, "Medicine cat stuff," and Foxleap nods.) and into the forest.

We end up in the clearing where I caught the mouse, and Jayfeather nods at me to speak.

"I got a dream from StarClan-"

"Which cat?"

"What?"

Jayfeather gives a small grunt of annoyance. "Which cat talked to you?"

"Oh. She said her name was Hollyleaf."

Jayfeather stiffens. "Hollyleaf?"

"Yes, she also told me that I'm her niece, and what I think is a prophecy."

"A prophecy? Are you sure?"

"I said _I think."_

"Can you recite it for me?"

So I recite it for Jayfeather, and he looks surprised, thoughtful, and I'm not sure what else is on his face.

"Did anything happen to you that was unusual yesterday?" he asks me.

"Besides probably having a power? No, nothing unusual."

"What do you mean by a power?"

"Let me show you." I get ready to, well, do my power. I still don't have a name for it.

"I'm blind." Jayfreather reminds me.

_Mousebrain! _"Sorry. Can't you just go into my memories or something?"

"Fine. It's your choice."

Before I can wonder about what Jayfeather meant, I feel something in my head. It's not comfortable, or uncomfortable. It's just…there.

"Hmm…your power reminds me of lightning." Jayfeather meows after a while.

"Lightning?"

"Well, you know how lightning flashes in the sky during a storm?"

"Yeah, I've heard about lightning doing that."

"Acornpaw," Jayfeather looks at me. "I think that's your power."

"My power?"

"To flash from place to place."

My mind blows.

_What!?_

"Listen, let's just go back to camp, and you can go back to sleep. Talk to Dovewing about it. No, I'll tell her about it." Jayfeather meows to me.

I'm still somewhat freaked out by the prophecy and the whole "I have a power" thing. It's not exactly your normal apprentice business.

Then again, I'm tired.

"Fine." I say.

And we head off to camp.

* * *

**Did you like it? I hope you did. Happy Passover and Easter!**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N:** **I'm sorry it's so short and late. I had school, and also was waiting to see if anyone would review.**

**Reply to Reviews:**

**Stormheart: Sure, they will be in the next chapter, but could you tell me what you mean by "a blur of light"?**

**Hi10000000: Yes, she can! The Clan does know about the Three's powers. AND THE PROPHECY RYHMES! Try not to be scared.**

**Also, if you somehow stumble upon this fanfic, please review! **

**Enjoy! **

Chapter 5

"Guys! We're going to the Gathering!" Amberpaw yowled as she ran over to join us. It had been a half-moon since we became apprentices.

I looked up from a squirrel that someone had caught, and Snowpaw and Dewpaw untangled themselves from sharing tongues.

"All of us?" Dewpaw asked.

"That's what Squirrelflight said. I'm going to get some fresh-kill. Anyone want to come?"

Her brothers nodded, and they headed off to the fresh-kill pile. I continued eating my squirrel, and thought about what happened in the last half-moon.

Amberpaw, Dewpaw, Snowpaw, and I had learned hunting and fighting, tree-training, and herbs. Fighting, hunting, and tree-training were taught by our mentors, but herbs were taught by Jayfeather, and sometimes Brairlight. Out of all four, I liked tree-training the best. We sometimes caught squirrels or birds, and we learned how to drop from trees onto our enemies. Herbs were okay, but I was glad I wasn't a medicine cat. Fighting was fun, or at least as fun as fighting could be. Sometimes we were asked to add something to a move, like scratching the badger on the back when we jumped over the "badger". Hunting was also fun, and even more so when you caught something. Along with the hunting crouch, we had learned to catch birds and rabbits. You used the hunting crouch, but if the bird sees you, leap at it and try to kill it. For rabbits, the hunting crouch, but make absolutely no noise, because the rabbits could hear you before they see or smell you. Dovewing had spent at least five moments drilling that in my head. And the most important rule of all:

*Never forget to give thanks to StarClan after you catch something.

Then I suddenly wondered what the Gathering would be like. It would be my first one, along with Amberpaw's, Dewpaw's and Snowpaw's, so I had no idea what to expect. Then Dovewing came over.

"Hi, Acornpaw!" she greeted me. "Exited about the Gathering?"

"What is a Gathering like?"

She blinks. "Well, usually, the Clans mingle for a while, the leaders say their news, and we go home."

"Usually?"

"Sometimes clouds cover the moon, which means StarClan is angry. Then the Gathering breaks up in disorder." Dovewing meows.

"Oh."

"Well, I'll be seeing you later. Bye!" Dovewing waves her tail at me and heads off to join Bumblestripe.

I roll over on my back, and after thinking about it, decide to take a nap.

* * *

(Acornpaw's dream/memory)

_I head into camp behind Jayfeather, both of us carrying herbs. Jayfeather tells me to take the herbs to the medicine den, while he wakes up Dovewing._

_After I put the herbs in the medicine den I head back to the clearing. A few moments later, Dovewing, Lionblaze and Jayfeather all come out._

_Jayfeather flicks his tail at us and whispers "Follow me." and heads off, the rest of us following._

_"So what is this about?" Linblaze asks when we reach the Sky Oak._

_I glance at Jayfeather, then remembers that he's blind._

_Then I take a large breath. "I...have a power." I meow._

_Dovewing looks surprised but calm, while Lionblaze looks proud._

_That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be._

_Dovewing is the first to break the silence. "What is it?" she asks._

_"It's...um...I'll just show you." I say, then I close my eyes and flash to a low branch on the Sky Oak._

_"So you can...what do you call it? Flashing?" Lionbalze meows. I nod._

_"Do you want to practice with me as apprentice training?" Dovewing asks me. I nod, and shortly later, we head back to camp._

* * *

And, of course, I had practiced my power with Dovewing.


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: Woohoo long chapter! I hope... Anyway, there's the beginning of a love triangle in here. And remember how in the chapter before last chapter where is says that Lilypaw and Seedpaw are warriors, under the names of Lilyfur and Seedflower, and that in the allegiances Sandstorm was Seeedflower's mentor? Let me explain. Sandstorm was old (for a cat) and literally after Seedflower's and Lilyfur's warrior ceremony, she retired to the elders den. I hope this helps with any confusion. Thanks to Hi10000000 for reviewing!**

Chapter 6

"Are you sure about this, Stormheart?"

"I am, Nightwing. Do you want to rest? We're almost there."

"All right, I'll rest. Do you think Thornclaw will remember me?"

"He will, don't worry."

* * *

_There is darkness all around me. I see a pair of amber eyes, and smell a faint WindClan smell, mixed with the smell of rouge. Could this be Breezepelt, my father's half-brother?_

_The amber eyes creep nearer to me, but I can't move._

_I am frozen in place, and the eyes still come closer...and closer...and closer..._

"Acornpaw, wake up!"

Dewpaw is standing over me, holding a mouse in his jaws. Snowpaw has another mouse, while Amberpaw has a thrush.

Dewpaw looks worried. _Really_ worried.

I stand up, dip my head to Dewpaw as a thank-you, and head over to Amberpaw with my squirrel, wondering why Dewpaw looked so worried when I woke up.

* * *

"I will take myself, Squirrelflight, Jayfeather, Hazeltail, Icecloud, Thornclaw, Bumblestripe, Dovewing, Cinderheart, Lilyfur, Amberpaw, Snowpaw, Dewpaw and Acornpaw to the Gathering." Bramblestar meows from Highledge. "Do any elders wish to come?"

Only Sandstorm comes from the group of elders. She became an elder after her former apprentice, Seedflower, became a warrior.

I am pacing near the entrance, my tail waving. Dewpaw has been staring at me throughout Sunhigh, but whenever I look at him, he looks away. I wonder what that means. . .

"Acornpaw?"

Snowpaw is standing in front of me. For an instant, I remember the prophecy, how I was the acorn. Could Snowpaw be the snow?

"You just looked kind of dazed," Snowpaw mutters. "Bye."

Then he pads away, back to where he has been sitting. I watch him for a moment to long.

I don't notice Dewpaw, behind a bush, who has seen everything. Then I do. Dewpaw smirks at me and whispers, "You're mine, not Snowpaw's."

* * *

I run behind Cinderheart, not talking, just running with my mother. Then I sigh.

"What is it?" Cinderheart asks with a twinkle in her eye. "Tom troubles?"

"Something like that." I remember Snowpaw, how in the nursery he was always nice to me, and how, if Amberpaw went on Dewpaw's team for a change, Snowpaw instantly joined mine. He was always kind of quiet, but the best at play-fighting, and he hanged out with Dewpaw mostly.

Yet Dewpaw was also nice to me-sometimes. He did tease me about my WindClan roots, but stopped when we apprentices. Right now I can remember one time when he teased me, when we were all kits...

_"I'll be leader of ShadowClan," Dewkit announced before I could say anything. Amberkit and Snowkit were "leaders" of ThunderClan and RiverClan, in that order. I would have to be "leader" of WindClan._

_"You have to be the leader of WindClan now," Dewkit sneered in my face. Then he shoved me to the ground. Amberkit sniffed me, then raced off to find Jayfeather. Snowkit glared at his brother._

_"How could you do that?" Snowkit hissed at Dewkit._

_"Because," Dewkit shrugged. "She's part WindClan."_

_Snowkit glowered at Dewkit, who leaped at me. By then I had stood up, and hissed at Dewkit._

_"Don't. Insult. Me!" I hissed. Dewkit pushed me back down, and Snowkit jumped in front of me and started to tussle with his brother. I heard a quiet cough from behind me._

_"What's going on?"_

_It was Jayfeather._

_Snowkit jumped off Dewkit and started to say "Dewkit insulted-"_

_Dewkit interrupted him. "Acornkit fell down."_

_Jayfeather stared at him. "Are you okay?" he asked me._

_I checked myself. Nothing broken, only some aches._

_"Just some aches," I said._

_Jayfeather headed to the medicine den then returned with a poppy seed._

_"Eat this. It'll calm you down and stop the aches," he meowed, and headed back to his den after making sure I had eaten the poppy seed._

"We're here." Cinderheart meows, interrupting my thoughts. I stare up at the fallen tree that crosses the lake from the shore to the island. The water looks darker that it should with the night sky reflecting it and the moon lighting up parts of it.

Cinderheart jumps up in front of me, and weaves her way between the stubby twigs and knots, holding onto the slippery bark with her claws. I jump onto the tree, unsheathing my claws, and look back at Amberpaw. She nods at me, and I smile in return, and then I cross the tree.

The bark _is_ really slippery-it didn't just look that way. I curve around the twigs and try not to fall off. I don't want to fall in the lake.

I jump down on the island to cheers from the other shore, and then I see Amberpaw jump on the tree, and she comes over, followed by Dewpaw and Snowpaw. Lilyfur comes over. "Do you want me to show you around?" she asks, and we all nod. She tells us to talk mainly to apprentices, not warriors, who aren't dangerous but might not like to have an apprentice pestering them. So the four of us head over to a group of apprentices. Two of them are RiverClan apprentices – Curlpaw, a light brown tabby she-cat with green eyes, and Podpaw, a sturdy gray tom. There are three WindClan apprentices – Whiskerpaw, a light brown tom, Furzepaw, a gray-and-white she-cat, and Boulderpaw, a large pale gray tom. The ShadowClan apprentices- Dewpaw, a gray she-cat, Sparrowpaw, a large tabby tom, and Mistpaw, a spiky-furred, pale gray she-cat, who are littermates, nod hello. After we introduce ourselves, it is time for the Gathering to begin. I settle my between Amberpaw and Furzepaw and look up at the Great Oak.

"We meet beneath Silverpelt, commanded by the truce of the full moon." a lithe brown tabby meowed in a commanding voice.

"That's Onestar," Furzepaw whispered to me. "He's my leader. "

"WindClan has nothing to report except that the training of our apprentices is going well, and prey is running," Onestar meowed, then nodded to Mistystar for her to go next.

"The fish are running well, and we have two new apprentices, Curlpaw and Podpaw.

"Curlpaw! Podpaw!" the Clans, mostly RiverClan, I noticed, chanted. "That is all for RiverClan," Mistystar meowed after the cheering had gone down, and dipped her head to Bramblestar. Bramblestar stood up. "We have four new apprentices – Amberpaw, Dewpaw, Snowpaw, and Acornpaw."

I felt my pelt burn under the stares of what feels like all the cats there. Do the other apprentices feel the same way?

The bushes rustle, and I smell something. Cat-scent, and both of them are she-cats. They step out, while some RiverClan cats stand up and hiss threateningly.

One of the she-cats is gray with a blur of light, dark gray tabby marks, and icy blue eyes. She hisses back. The other she-cat has emerald green eyes – maybe blind, as she stares blankly – with black fur, a white ear tip and paw, and a white tail tip. She calls out "Thornclaw?! Where are you?" Thornclaw had stood up when the two cats had appeared, and stalked over to them. Now he was near the two she-cats.

"Nightwing, you're alive!" he meows, but I swear I catch a hint of a purr.

"Of course she's alive," the gray she-cat meows.

"Who are you?" Thornclaw asks, but Bramblestar interrupts, not before the gray she-cat meows "I'm Stormheart,".

"Could we carry this conversation on in the ThunderClan camp?"

"ThunderClan? You're from ThunderClan?" Stormheart asks.

Bramblestar dips his head, and the four Clans head to the tree bridge and their terrrioties. I whisper goodbyes to the other apprentices and follow Cinderheart out of the clearing.

* * *

As I run back to camp, I feel Dewpaw's eyes on me and shiver. What did he mean, that I was his? Then, with dreadful certainty, I realize.

His future mate.


End file.
